Method and means for distilling coal with recovery of the gaseous distillate



April 26, 1932. E. w. KING 1,855,191

METHOD AND MEANS FOR DISTILLING COAL WITH RECOVERY OF THE-GASEOUS DISTILLATE Filed April 25. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY E. W. KING April 26, 1932.

METHOD AND MEANS FOR DISTILLING COAL WITH RECOVERY OF THE GASEOUS DISTILLATE Filed April 23 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR ATTORNEY Apnl 26, 1932. E. w. KING 1,855,191

' METHOD AND MEANS FOR DISTILLING COAL WITH RECOVERY OF THE GASEOUS DISTILLATE 4 Filed April 25, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented A... 26, 1932 gases are the battery is located, for example, withm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EUGENE W. KING,

ENGINEERING CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y A. CORPORATION 01' OF EAOKENSAOK, NEW JERSEY, ABSIGNOB TO SEMET-SOL' VAY NEW YORK METHOD AND MEANS FOB DISTILLING COAL WITH RECOVERY OF THE GASEOUS DISTILLATE Application filed April as, 1921. Serial m. 183,078.

This invention relates'to a process and apparatus for recovering certain of the gases initially liberated in charging the hot ovens of a by-product coke oven battery. These usually allowed to burst into flame durin the charging operation with, at times, consi erable danger. to the operatives and with the production of smoke and soot, which may be highly objectionable, particularly f the limits of a city.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a simple and eflicient process and apparatus for the recovery of such initial 16 gases evolved by the various ovens of the batmg of an oven chamber,

ter

The invention accordingly comprises a process and' apparatus for recoverin the gaseous products evolved during the c argwhich includes discharging a part of such products into an adjoining oven and simultaneously discharging substantially the remainder of such products by suction into the collector main under pressure.

Other advantages will appear "from the following detailed description taken in conuection with the accompanying drawingsin which Fig. 1 is a section, of part" of an oven battery and charging devicefshowing an embodiment of the invention associated therewith; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view corresponding to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is in section along the line 3- -3 of Fig. 2, showing an empty. oven connected by the cross over pipe to a partly coked charge whichls at a proximately the height of the coal after leve ing; Fig. 4 1s a vertical section along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 of the oven during charging, showing the position of the coal after a portion of the charge oven chamber; Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the upper part of an oven battery showing a difierent charging device in ele vation and embodying a modified form of the invention.

In the preferred tion illustrated in embodiment of the inven- Figs. 1- to 4 inclusive, A,

vertical elevation, partly in a vertical elevation partly has gravitated into the coke oven chambers forming part of a battery, each of which chambers is provided with a single charging opening 1, smoke ofitake orgas outlet 2 and an ofltake or ascension pipe 3 leading from the ofitake in the top of the coking chamber into the collector main 4. Covers 5 normally close the charging openings and'gas outlets when the ovensare in operation; i

Disposed longitudinally of the battery'is a track C, upon which is mounted a wheeled char 'ng device D, adapted to travel the lengt of the battery of ovens.. Upon the carriageD is mounted a cross-over, purge or vent pipe E, arranged to be raised and lowered by means of pivoted levers d, e. The vent pipe E is provided with depending branches 'F, F so spaced as to register at the same time with the gas outlets 2 of any two adjacent chambers,as A A. If desired the vent pipe E may be so extended as to have more than two depending branches, and thus be used to connect more than one adjacent oven with that being charged.

The ofl'take pipe 3 is provided with a steam 'et or ejector 9 controlled by a valve 10 connected to a steam pipe 11. When the steam eject-or is turned on by means of valve 10, a suction is created in the ofitake pi and also in the oven chamber, causing the gaseous products, evolved uring the charging operation, into the collector main 4.

steam jets during charging increases the pressure in the collector main 4, and also causes and chamber communicating therewith, thus facilitating the removal of the gaseous products throughout the charging operation.

Prior to the commencement of the charging- 0 ration the purge or vent pipe E is place ovens. The cover of the charging openiugis removed and then the coal 7 is permitte to gravitate through the charging .opening .1 from the hopper 6 of the 1a .or charging Y device D. The coal thus accumulates in a pile or stack completely covering the lower surover the gas outlets 2, of adjacent.

' a suction to be maintained in the ofl'take pipe face of the chamber and inclining upwardly v as indicated at 8-8 through the charging opening which is completely filled by the down-coming coal. The coal in gravitating 6 into the chamber does not completel fill the transverse cross section of the cham r, i. e., the width of the chamber being such that conduits or paths 99' are formed as the coal falls through the opening 1 on the pile ac- 10 cumulated therein. For removing the coal in the oven from beneath the charging opening, thus causing-more coal to be drawn from the char 'ng device, for uniformly leveling and distributing it in the oven, and for push 1 ing it from the oven after the completion oftheeoking operation, a conventional type of leveler and pusher (not shown on the drawings) is provided. 1 Referring to Fig. 1, it will be noted that as 90 the first'portion of the charge is fed intothe oven, pockets or gas spaces 13, 14.- are ormed. The volatile matter evolved and collected .at 13 is provided a path through the cross-over or purge pipe E and is thus removed as soon'as formed. Also the volatile matter collected at 14is removed as formed through the smoke ofl'take in the top of the coking chamber communicating with the 0dtake pipe 3, b the action of the steam jet or aspirator; "file conduits or passageways "-9 rovide a connecting means across the oven t us maintaining an even pressure so that ifmore gas is given ofi and accumulated at one end than can be disposed of by the P outlet at that end, the excess is automatically conducted into the adjoining pocket, thence through the outlet and removed from the chamber.

- The apparatus herein described is designed to operate with only the steam jet in the a e pipe of the oven being charged turned ofit on during the charglng operation. If de: sired, however, the steam jet in the adjacent oven can also be turned on to provide a suction in the corresponding ofl'take pipe which would cause a similar suction in the oven chamber and consequently in the vent pipe E. It is understood that after the oven has been completely charged and leveled a space 15 remains between the upper surface of the charge and the ceiling or top of the oven chamber, which provides a continuous passageway from the ofl'take pipe of the adjacent oven through that'oven-into and through the vent pip'ejto the pocket or gas space 13. After the charging and leveling operations are com-' pleted, the covers are replaced, the steam jets are turned off, the chargin' device is moved into its next charging position-and the coking operation of the oven that. has been complete- .1 chargedcommences under the pressure of J the collector main. If desired the purge or. vent pipe E may be provided with an opening 35 through which a ends of the oven. This connected to a steam pipe steam jet 36 may be inserted. This.

jet when in operation creates asuction in 'This flexible pipe permits the ready insertion or removal of the jet. There is, of course, a similar arrangement of jet, flexible pipe for each oven. A plug or other suitable closure is preferably provided for the opening in the purge pipe.-

It will be noted that the mechanism described herein is simple in construction, eificient 1n operation and arranged to provlde a safe, convenient, cool and well ventilated surface to the operators. In operation the cross-over or vent pipe and ofitake pipe having the steam ejectors therein, conduct the gaseous material as soon as it is evolved, into the collector main, thus preventing its discharge intothe atmosphere where it would.

form dense clouds of smoke and tend to ignite, constituting a continuous menace to the.

safety of the operators. The provision of a single conductor main provides the maximum free working space and only one hot and obstructed end which permits a free flow of air across This construction also enables an operator to observe and-direct the charging, leveling and pushing operations while standin on the oven or while observing the ation at the other end of the oven.

In the modified construction of Fig. 5 the coke oven chamber A forms one of a battery of similar chambers, each of whichis provided with two charging openings 20-30 located intermediatethe ends of the oven, two gas outlets 21, 22 located the oven and an ofitake pipe 23 preferably positioned at a point half way between the oiftake pipe is provided with a steam jet 9, having a valve 10 11 and leads into a collector main 4 under pressure. The collector main is supported by standards 24 at a point intermediate the ends'of the oven,

pushmg operpipe, valve and pipe connection to the steam I the open end of the oven.

near theends of preferably at approximately the midpoint. I

Charging device D, provided with two hoppers 6, is adapted to register-With the charging openings 20, 30. Brackets 25 fasten .a purge or vent vent pipes being arranged to connect two or pipe E to each hopper 6, the

more ovens as explained in connectionwith the description of Figs. 1 to 4.

-Th reis thus provided a'pair ofgoutlets for the disposal of the gaseous'matter evolved during the charging operation at each side of a charging opening, It will be noted that each pocket' or space formed when the coal is charged into the oven is in communication with an outlet. Outlet 22 connects with vent pipe E and the adjacent oven, communicates with the pocket formed to the left (viewing Fig. 5) of the charging opening 30. Olftake pipe 23 communicates with the pocket formed'to the right of charging opening and left of 20, and gas outlet 21 communicates with the pocket formed to the right of I end to the other end also can view and direct the charging, leveling and pushing operations.

in the details thereof may be made by those It will, of course, be understood that while a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, various changes skilled in the art, and this invention is not to be limited to the structure disclosed,but only bythe scope of the appended claims.

1. The method of charging and operating hot coking chambers having a collector main connected to each coking chamber top by an ascension pipe, a charging hole and smoke offtake in the top of each coking chamber, the charging hole being located intermediate the smoke ofl'take and the ascension pipe, and the smoke ofi'take of the individual coking chambers while respectively being charged being communicably hconnected with the smoke oiftake of an adjacent coking chamber, which comprises charging a coking chamber while hot with 'coal through said charging hole, conducting products evolved upon charging into an adjacent coking chamber while accelerating the flow thereof by inducing forced draught in the connection between the coking chambers and increasingthe pressure differential in said ascension pipe'while maintaining the pressure in said collector main substantially constant above atmospheric.

2. The method of charging and operating horizontally elongated hot coking chambers having a collector main connected to each coking chamber top by an ascension pipe, a smoke ofit-ake in the top of each coking chamher at one-end thereof, a charging hole in the top of each coking chamber intermediate the smoke ofitake andtheascension pipe, the

1 smoke offtake' of the individual coking chambers while, respectively being charged being communicably connected with the smoke 05- take of one of the adjacent cokingchambers, which comprises charging a coking chamber while hot with coal through said charging hole thus forming a pile of coal in said coking chambers extending from the base of said chambers to the charging hole, conducting products evolved upon charging and tending to collect in the end of the coking chamber near the smoke ofi'take through the smoke oiftake and communicating connection into' an adjacent coking chamber while accelerating the flow of said products by inducing forced draught in said connection, conducting products evolved upon charging and tending to collect in that portion of the coking chamber in the neighborhood of the ascension pipe through said ascension pipe into the collector main while maintaining insaid collector main substantially constant pressure above atmospheric.

3. The method of charging and operating horizontally elongated hot coking chambers having a collector main connected to each coking chamber top by an ascension ipe,

diate thesmoke ofitake' and the ascension pipe, the smoke'offtake of the individual coking chambers while respectively being charged. being communicably connected with the smoke ofi'take of an adjacent coking chamber, which comprises charging a coking chamber while hot 'with coal through said charging hole thus forming a pile of coal in said coking chambers extending from'the 'base of said chambers'to the charging hole,

conduct-ing products evolved upon charging and tending tocollect in the endof the coking chamber near the smoke 'ofl'take through the smoke 'oiftake andcommunicating connection into an adj aoent coking chamber while accelerating the flow of said products by inducing. forced draught in saidconnection, conductin products evolved upon charging and ten 'ng to collect in that portion of the coking chamber-in the neighborhood of the ascension pipe through said ascension pipe into the collector'main and accelerating the flow of said products through said ascension pipe by increasing the pressure differential insaid pipe while maintaining in said collector main substantially constant pressure above atmospheric.

4. The method of charging and 0 rating horizontally elongated hot coking c ambers having a collector main connected tothe coking chamber tops by an ascension pipe individual to each coking chamber, a plurality of smoke ofi'takes in the tops ofeach cokin' chamber and a plurality of charging holes 1n the top of each coking chamber, each vcharging hole being located intermediate-a 55 mospheric.

in the top of each coking chamber, conducting products evolved upon charging and collecting in the pockets communicating withv my the smoke ofl'takes through said ofltakes intothe adjacent communicating coking chamber and conducting 1products evolved upon charging in the poo et communicating with the ascension pipe through said ascension pipe into the collector mam.

5. The method of charging and o crating horizontally elongated hot coking c ambers having a collector main connected to the coking chamber tops by an ascension pipe individual to each coking chamber, a plural 'ity of smoke ofitakes' in the tops of each coking-chamber and 1 a plurality of charging holes in the top of each coking chamber, each charging hole being located intermediate, a

5 smoke ofitake and the ascension pipe, the smoke ofitakes of the individual ovens while respectively being charged being communicably connected with the ofl'takes of an adjacent cokin chamber, which comprises chargca ing a coking chamber while hot with coal through said charging holes thus forming piles of coal in said coking chamber extend- 1ng from the base of said chamber to the char 'ng holes and gas pockets in the coking 0 amber between the tops of the piles of coal and the tops of the coking chamber, each of said pockets communicating with either a smoke ofitake or the ascension pipe in the top of each coking chamber, conducting 40 products evolved upon charging and collectmg in the pockets communicating with the smoke ofitakes through said ofitakes into the adjacent communicating coking chamber while accelerating the flow of said products inducing forced draught in said connec ion between said coking chambers, conducting the products evolved upon charging in the pocket communicating with the ascension rpipe through said ascension pipe into the collector main and accelerating the flow of products through said ascension pipe by increasing the pressure difierenti'al therein while maintaining the pressure insaid collector main substantially constant above at- 6; In a coke oven battery, horizontal coking chambers having in their tons charging openings and gas ofitakes, said ofitak es in each of the chambers eing disposed on opposite sides of each of the charging openings in the chamber relative tothe opposite ends of the coking chambers, collecting main means for collecting the distillate gases from the coking'chambers of the battery, means for maintaining substantialin combination,

1y constant pressure above atmospheric in 'said collecting main means, means for connecting the as ofitakes of the individual draught in the connecting means to withdraw' 'the products evolved upon charging from the individual coking chambers while respectively being char 'edand to cause said products to pass into adjacent coking chambers. I

7. In a coke oven battery,

provided in its top adjacent one end thereof with asmoke ofitake, a. collector main, an asin combination, horizontally elongated coking chambers each cension pipe leading fromthe top of each coking chamber adjacent the other end thereof into the collector main, a charging open ing disposed in the top of each coking chamber substantially midway between the ends thereof, a charging devicemovablover the top of said battery into charging position over said oven chamber and a vertically adjustable pipe carried by said charging device and arranged to' connect the smoke ofitakes of adjacent coking chambers. j

8. In a coke oven battery, horizontally elongated coking chambers each provided in itstop with a single charging opening, a smoke ofitake and an ascension pipe, the charging opening being positioned substantially midway between the smoke ofitake and the ascension pipe, a collector main, the ascensionpipe of each coking chamber leading into said collector main, a vent pipe adapted to connect the smoke ofltakes. of a plurality of coking chambers, means for inducing forced draught within said vent pipes and means for creating a pressure difi'erential in Said ascension pipe. 9. In a coke oven battery comprising horizontally elongated coking chambers and alternating heating walls, arranged side, by

side in a row, a collector main elevated above .the surface of said battery and located at a point intermediate the sides of said battery,

each of said cokinlg chambers being provided,

a plurality of charging substantially the mid point 0 the top of each T of said coking chambers into the collector main,.a charging device movable into charging position and carrying a plurality of plpes arranged to-connect gas outlets of adjacent coking chambers, and an aspirator in the ofl'take pipe of each coking chamber to cause the passage of part of the gaseous products evolved during'the charging operation through the ofitake pipe of the coking chamber being charged, and thence into said collector main. I

. 10. In a coke oven battery comprising horizontally elongated coking chambers and al-' ternating Y heating walls, arranged side by side in a row, each of said coking chambers being provided in its top with a plurality of charging holes and independent gas outlets I located at the ends of said chambers, a collector main elevated above the top of said battery and located at a point intermediate the ends of the coking chambers, an ofitake pipe leading from substantially the mid point of each of said coking chambers into the collector main, each of said charging holes Y being located intermediate one of said gas outlets and said ofitake pipe, a charging device movable into charging position and carrying a plurality of vertically adjustablepipes arranged to connect gas outlets of adacent coking chambers, and an aspirator in the ofitake pipe of each cokin chamber to cause the passage of part 0 the gaseous products evolved during the charging operation through the ofitake pipe and thence intothe collector main.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EUGENE W. KING. 

